Member Article

Co-op to build new Ashington store following Morpeth success

Food retailer The Co-op is attempting to continue its expansion throughout the North East, submitting a planning proposal for a new 3,000sqft design and build store to be constructed in Ashington.

Newcastle-based Silverstone Building Consultancy has been appointed to project manage the development, expected to soon receive approval, which is based on a greenfield site on Remscheid Way - a predominantly residential area of the town.

The site has recently been acquired by a private investor and the Co-op has committed to a 15 year lease on the site, which was secured by Bradley Hall.

The Co-op Group has been actively looking to acquire new sites across the region, after it announced plans to open a total of 100 new stores across the UK to strengthen its position as a convenience food retailer.

The new instruction follows Silverstone’s completion of a new design and build Co-op store in Morpeth, which opened last November.

Ben Hunter, director at Silverstone said: “We are very pleased to have been appointed on a second Co-op design and build project. We were instructed directly by the owners of the site following the successful completion of our new build project in Morpeth.”

Silverstone has appointed the same team of local sub-contractors it worked with on the Morpeth new build including SHED Engineering and Steven Kirk Architecture as well as Northern Structures Ltd as the main contractor. The project is expected to start on site at the end of May with completion due in October.

Ben continued: “It is great news that the Co-op Group are continuing to invest in new sites throughout the North East, demonstrating their commitment to the region and breathing new life into otherwise redundant sites.

“Having established a strong relationship with them we hope to be able to assist on further building projects in the near future.”